The USS Arizona sinks after the Japanese bombing at Pearl Harbor, taking with it 1,177 crew members.

By Emma Rausch

Wednesday, Dec. 7, commemorates “a date which will live in infamy” as it marks the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

On Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941, Imperial Japan launched a surprise military strike against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, then Hawaiian territory.

In just two hours, starting at 7:55 a.m. Hawaiian time, 12:55 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, more than 2,000 Americans lost their lives, another 1,178 were wounded and about 188 U.S. aircrafts were destroyed.

The attack sent shockwaves around the country as news spread of the attack. The following day, Dec. 8, the United States declared war on Japan and entered World War II.

Following the Tokyo Trials, the airstrike was judged to be a war crime.

While 75 years have since passed, there are lessons still to be learned from that day and the years that followed, according to two Wabash World War II veterans.

Manchester's girls' basketball team appeared to be headed to their seventh win of the season Saturday night at Northfield, but the Norse outscored the Squires 18-3 in the fourth quarter to pull out a 46-40 Three Rivers Conference win.

The win put Northfield at 5-2, and 2-0 in the TRC, while Manchester dropped to 6-3, and 1-1 in conference play.

"At halftime, we told them to go out and be aggressive and just hit their shots. Sometimes they struggle with that," Northfield coach Melissa Allen said. "After this game, I think it's in their heads that they know they can do it."

International high school exchange students seeking host families in Wabash

Visiting students, ages 15-18, from around the world including Germany, Spain, Switzerland, and Thailand are seeking host families in and around Wabash for the upcoming 2014-2015 academic school year. Host families are needed for the fall semester and full school year.

Host families (traditional families, singles, empty nesters, etc.) serve as mentors and a home base for their student. Visiting students participate as active members of the family and integrate into their host’s daily routines and traditions just like any other family member. Hosting an international student is a great way to explore a new culture and promote a sense of lifelong learning and adventure.

“Every year Indiana plays host to hundreds of talented, top-of-their-class students with the lifelong dream of studying in America,” reports Joseph Bissell, iE-USA’s Regional Director. “Indiana’s spirit of hospitality and focus on academic enrichment makes it an ideal environment to develop cultural exchange and promote international diplomacy on a local level.”

iE-USA, the sponsoring program, is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting education and understanding through intercultural and academic exchange. iE-USA is certified by the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel and strictly adheres to all U.S. Department of State Student Exchange Program regulations and guidelines.

Exchange student participants undergo an extensive application and orientation process in their home country prior to being accepted into iE-USA’s program. Each student is responsible for his/her own spending money and full health insurance coverage.

To learn more about how to make the dream come true for an international high school exchange student, contact Indiana representative Emily Rolin at e.rolin@international-experience.net, or by calling 269-625-4662. Host families may review prospective student profiles online at iE-USA.org. Families interested in hosting this year must apply by Aug. 15, 2014.